Senior Member

For group 1, XMRV-specific sequences were detected with relatively low frequency (2.3%). For group 2, XMRV-specific sequences were amplified in 1 BAL sample, which was also positive for Staphylococcus aureus by routine culture methods. For group 3, XMRV-specific sequences were detected at a frequency of 9.9%, which was significantly higher than that for the healthy control group (3.2%) at the 90% confidence level but not at the 95% level (p = 0.078, 1 sample t-test).

Senior Member

Yes, I think this study raises lots of questions like that. Perhaps the DHHS should direct the CDC to go back and do throat swabs on those goats they used in the CDC/CFS paper. If they can't find it in humans at least they could discover it in those dang goats. I am keep'in an eye on MY goats, for sure.

Senior Member

Just a small, but very interesting, point: Hohn supplied samples for the CDC study, and is listed as an author. It looks like the principle authors went all the way to Germany to avoid contamination by the thought that CFS patients might have a communicable disease, and selected someone with a record of published negative findings. They then failed to mention the XMRV positive samples they received from U.S. groups they considered suspect, or their results of testing same, in their own paper. Now, Hohn may be viewed by a few in Atlanta as going over to the dark side.

"and this too shall pass"

Perhaps some of us have it in the respiratory track and others don''t, maybe this has something to do with the contagious part of it. It seems like the virus described in China is more contagious, so am wondering it it could depend on where the retrovirus is located. Perhaps if we have it in the respiratory track, we are more contagious??